Italy is a bucket list destination for most travellers. If you are looking on exploring some of the top destinations in Italy for a week, then this Itinerary allows you to visit three of the most popular Italian cities: Rome, Florence, and Venice.
Learn about taking the railway in Italy, and how to spend two days visiting the top attractions in Italy.
Quick Trip Overview
- Location: Rome, Florence, and Venice, Italy
- Starting Airport: Rome–Fiumicino International Airport
- Ending Airport: Venice Marco Polo Airport
- Time: 7 Days – One Week
- Estimated Cost: $1,500
Why You Should Take the Train
If you are wondering why to use the train for your one week trip to Italy, here are some reasons:
1Save Money. Europe trips are already expensive – especially when spending time in major cities. Using the train is an easy way to cut costs. While the flights in Europe can be pretty cheap with budget airlines, train tickets between the cities in this itinerary are only around €22 – and you can drag as much luggage as you want to. 2Less Stress. Trains are pretty easy, you show up to a station, you find which track the train is departing from on the sign, and then you either wait for the arrival or board if this is a starting destination for the train. 3More time. You would think that an airplane would offer you more time for a city. However, the airports are typically farther out than the train station. I managed to walk to all the train stations during my stays. Additionally, there is no security or last time to check bags, for trains like there is for airplanes. You can roll up 10 minutes before the train departure, grab a snack, then board the train. 4Multiple departure times. Between the three major cities in this one week itinerary for Italy, there are numerous departure times throughout the day. For example, Rome to Florence runs every two hours. This gives you flexibility when booking the ticket.Purchasing Tickets for Italy’s Railway
There are three great methods of purchasing tickets for Italy’s Railway.
ItaliaRail. Visit the home of the railways of Italy. From here you can purchase tickets in advance, or just scope out the ticket prices and times between destinations.
Omio. Previously GoEuro, this is an app that you can download to your phone in order to purchase tickets across Europe. Just be careful, as some tickets are eTickets and some are receipts that you use to get a ticket from the ticketing desk. So thoroughly check what you are purchasing first.
Ticketing Counter. If you are more of a spur of the moment traveler, or just cannot be bothered with online tickets, then there is always the option of purchasing tickets from the ticket counter. You can always purchase in advance for two days out after your arrival as well.
Destinations for One Week in Italy
Arrive to Rome. Depending on the time of your arrival, this is a great opportunity to start the exploring immediately.
If you don’t want to worry about booking any tickets or tours on the first day, explore some free attractions like the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, and Spanish steps.
After an exciting first day exploring Rome by foot, grab a cocktail and make your friends jealous of the Colosseum views at: The Court.
Tip: If you want photos without the crowds, stop by the Trevi fountain early in the morning!
Explore Vatican City, with a stop at the Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica, and exploring around the famous religious city.
Sign up for a cooking class in the evening to learn how to make fresh pasta!
Book an early morning tour of the colosseum to beat the crowds and the heat. Most Colosseum tickets include tickets to the Forum. So head over to the hilltops to get some great vantage point shots of the Roman Forum.
Schedule for an afternoon departure from the Rome station to head to Florence.
If your train comes in the afternoon, check into the hotel and drop off the bags. From there, walk over to the Piazza Della Signoria. Once again focusing on free stops so not to be stressed about the train departure time and arrival.
Explore the Piazza Della Signoria and outdoor statues. While the restaurants there are touristy, they still have some fresh pasta to serve.
After enjoying your time there head over to the popular Ponte Vecchio. This famous bridge is a great place to roam. Check out the shops located across the bridge, and head down the canal to get great photos.
Start the morning early with a visit up to Piazzale Michelangelo. No crowds, and a beautiful sunrise over Florence.
Head back into town and check out the Galleria Dell’Accademia and see the famous Statue of David.
Wanting to explore more? Add the Duomo or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and pay to go to the top to have another great view out of Florence.
If you haven’t already, stop by Fontana del Porcellino to rub the boar’s snout and place a coin in it’s mouth to drop in the grate.
If you didn’t have the opportunity to take a pasta class in Rome, this is a great day to add it.
Depart in the morning from Florence for Venice.
Once arriving at the Venice train station, you will immediately be greeted by the Grand Canal. If you aren’t carrying a lot of baggage, this is a great time to do photos of the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge.
You may get lost on your way to the hotel so use this as a chance to snap photos of the canals. There are three options to get to your hotel: get a water taxi which can be quite expensive, jump on the water bus which is slow, or to walk to your hotel. Walking is not a great option if you are carrying a lot of luggage.
You can schedule a gondola tour for the first day. Either book one online, or walk up to any of the gondolas to see if you can pay on the spot for a tour.
Visit the city center and the famous square. Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sighs, St Marks Campanile, Saint Mark’s Basilica, are all located in the same square. Explore the outside of these buildings and catch some photos that way.
If you are looking at going inside, schedule a tour as there can be very long lines to get through the entrance. A tour of all can be completed in half a day as most tours combine all the locations in the square. Which still leaves room to get lost in the small alleyways of Venice.
End the trip by heading to the Venice ariport on a shared water taxi.
For this one week in Italy Itinerary, I am going to focus on the three major cities. This is a great trip if you have never explored Italy before as it will give you a sampling of some of the top tourist attractions in Italy. The cities for this itinerary include Rome, Florence, and Venice. If you are looking for a Naples guide, then check out the top things to do in Naples, Italy.
There is so much to do in Italy, so this is a great first timer’s destinations to Italy. After this, I recommend exploring the smaller cities and parks across Italy.
Rome, Italy
Rome is a great starting destination for one week in Italy for numerous reasons. The main being that Rome has the largest airport with numerous European, and International flights. More than likely, if you are traveling to Italy from a far destination, this is the easiest destination to start from.
The second reason as to why Rome is on the list is due to the rich history of Rome. Everyone knows the saying “All Roads Lead to Rome”. It’s important to include Rome on this itinerary, as a visit to Italy without a stop in Rome would be incomplete.
Rome has numerous attractions to visit, the top Rome attractions include:
- The Colosseum: the Eiffel tower of Rome. Pictures of Rome typically include this massive historic structure. You can visit through a tour group, or purchase a ticket to explore yourself.
- The Forum: located right next to the Colosseum, the forum was once the center of Rome. All that is left is some columns and crumbling buildings.
- Sistine Chapel. See the famous Michaelangelo ceiling, and explore the Vatican.
- Peter’s Basilica. Located just minutes away from the Sistine Chapel, this church is made from the marble of the Colosseum.
- Pantheon. A former temple turned into a Catholic church with a unique architecture.
- Trevi Fountain: The famous fountain of Rome, toss a coin to ensure you return some day.
All of these attractions in Rome are closely located together and can be easily accomplished in three days. This can be compressed into two days. A majority of major attractions in Rome are closely located, making it easy to see two to three major features in a three to four hour period of time (or less if you aren’t the sort to lollygag).
Read more about these attractions and planning the perfect two day trip to Rome.
Train Station: Roma Termini railway station
Address: 00185 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome, Italy
Florence, Italy
From Rome, you will grab the train and start heading North through Italy.
Roma Termini railway station to Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station: 3 hours and 35 minutes, for €22.
Florence is the second destination of the one-week train itinerary for Italy. While Florence is another large city, it is not nearly as busy as Rome, or as Venice. This will be a nice break, as a majority of the attractions in Florence are centrally located and walking distance.
The main attractions to visit in Florence:
- Piazzale Michelangelo – so this one is not centrally located, but still worth seeing. This plaza has the best city view of Florence. Walking from the center of Florence this is only about thirty minutes away and offers great views of the major attractions of Florence.
- Galleria Dell’Accademia – continue your appreciation of the artwork by Michelangelo by visiting the Galleria Dell’Accademia. This gallery is home to the famous David statue.
- Ponte Vecchio – A very popular bridge located in Florence. The asymmetrical structure of the bridge is what makes it interesting, and it is filled with shops, it’s only a brief walk away from the Piazza Della Signoria.
- Piazza Della Signoria – the town center, a great place to spend evenings people watching.
Read more about how to spend two days in Florence.
Train Station: Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station
Address: Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy
Venice, Italy
From Florence, you will continue North by train to Venice.
Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station to Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia: 4 hours for €20.
The last stop for one week in Italy is to the famous and popular Venice, Italy. This city is built on over 100 islands, and can only be navigated by canal and alleyways.
This city is small and easy to visit in two days. However, due to the popularity of the city is very crowded.
Here are the top attractions in Venice, Italy:
- Rialto Bridge – when arriving at the train station in Venice, you will be greeted by the Grand Canal, and most likely have to cross this popular Bridge. This Bridge offers a popular view down the Grand Canal.
- Grand Canal – this Canal is the main canal that runs through Venice. It’s the largest, and the one you will find most water bus rides from.
- Doge’s Palace – The popular palace on Venice, and the home of the political history of Venice. Explore the beautiful home and prison.
- Bridge of Sighs – a popular bridge that links the Palace to the Prison, and the last bit of freedom that prisoners saw.
- Marks Campanile – located right in front of Doge’s Palace, a clocktower that offers the chance to visit the top for views out over Florence.
- Saint Mark’s Basilica – very popular Basilica, located near Doge’s Palace and home of the Pala d’Oro: a gold plated altar.
- Gondola Ride – what’s a Venice to Venice without a ride in a gondola.
For spending two days in Venice this is the best way:
Learn more about spending two days in Venice.
Train Station: Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia
Address: 30100 Venice, Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy
Tips for Using Italy’s Trains
- Pack light. This is the one downside compared to air travel, is that you can’t really drop your bag off and pick it up later. You will have to take it to the train station, get it onto the train, and then find a place to store it for the journey. However, once it’s stored then you don’t have to move it until arrival.
- Arrive Early. One of the reasons to use trains is that you can arrive up to a couple of minutes before and still board. However, that doesn’t mean you should gamble with the departure. Arrive at a minimum of 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time, this will give you plenty of time to figure out which track the train is departing from and grab some train beers for the journey.
- Use Information Desk. If you are having issues figuring out your ticket, or which track the train is departing from, ask information. There are people around the train tracks in vests or uniforms that are there to assist travellers. A majority speak English, so if you just can’t figure it out, they are there to assist with directions.
List of the Train Stations
Depending on your origin, you can either fly or train into the major cities listed below. The starting point for this itinerary is Rome, with an end point in Venice.
- Airport: Rome–Fiumicino International Airport
- Train Station: Roma Termini railway station
- Train Station: Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station
- Train Station: Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia
- Airport: Venice Marco Polo Airport
When to Visit Italy
The best time for a one week trip to Italy is during the months of April, May, June, and September. This, however, is also the most popular time to visit for all tourists. So expect higher prices and more crowds.
The months of July and August, are the hottest months, you will not beat the crowds during those months though, just be hot and sweaty with more people around!
The rest of the year is either winter or the prime chances for rain. The three major cities discussed during this one week itinerary of Italy though, are all major cities. This means the views won’t be altered by the weather like if you were visiting a National Park. If you are looking for fewer people, then bundle up with some extra clothes and scarves and explore these cities during the winter months.
These are all the places I want to visit on my roadtrip! I’m so happy I don’t have to drive! Thanks!!
Great post. Train travel in Italy is something that freaked me out in the beginning. And a few of my Italian friends keep telling me how unreliable trains are in Italy and how they would never ever use them. But to be honest, every time I did use them, it all went well. So totally with you, doing a multiple city trip by train sounds like a good idea (much better than having to drive in Rome).
Awesome post!! Italy is at the top of our family’s bucket list and I’m starting to dream about a semester in Europe so we can stay for awhile and see it all. I’ve been curious about train travel, especially through Italy so this was really useful. Are the rides pretty smooth???
I love the idea of travelling in Italy by train, it’s the ultimate in slow travel and a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of the cities. Are there some great views from the train? Can’t help but hope so!
I will definitely have to save this for later this year. I have visited Venice before, by train, and was doubting if I should make my way to Rome and Florence, and now I know I definitely should have! Thanks for sharing!
I love how compact the information was and that there was a longer guide for each city! Good job!!
Great post! I visited Rome & Venice by train last December & it was fantastic! Really cold but with a distinct lack of tourists compared to the summer months. Definitely recommend this time too!
I would love to take a train through Italy! It would be the trip of a lifetime!
Beautiful post! Love the itinerary and can’t wait to do this on my next visit to Italy 🙂 Thanks for sharing so many details.
Florence is one of my all time favorite cities, so I’m so glad you went on your 7 day trip! I studied abroad there back in college and did use the train system a bit to get to different cities and travel. It’s awesome how easy it is (and how fast!).
[…] some variation of the “big 3,” which are incredibly well connected by train. Amy has a great one week itinerary for visiting three major Italian cities via train. Even if you do day trips to Siena or Pisa, you can get there by bus or train. Detouring to […]
This place is straight out of a picture postcard. I have seen so many pictures on my Instagram feed that I have been longing to visit this place this year for sure. Lovely pictures and splendid place.